The Key To Home
by SassySirius
Summary: Wolfstar. Remus is poor - living on his own with only his grandma to call family. Sirius is homeless and busks on the streets for money. He has no friends and no family. Well, this is the story that he tells people anyway.


Remus walks through the streets of Surrey with four shopping bags - two in each hand. His hair is half in the old beanie that's nearly completely off his head and half is covering his eyes. He raises a hand and uses the hand that's covered by one of his fingerless gloves to move his overgrown hair out of his eyes. His fingers are numb from the cold and his hands are aching with the weight of the bags' handles pushing down on the thin material of his gloves that cover his skin. He knew he should of bought the gloves with fingers, but the fingerless ones were cheaper. But the material of them is clearly the reason why they were only a pound and fifty pence. The material is thin and already wearing out. Remus has only had them for a week. The rest of his clothes are no better. His jeans are ripped and he's lost so much weight that they hang off him. His shirt is two times too big and his jacket isn't warm in the slightest. As for his shoes, there are holes starting to form in the bottom of them and his socks hardly cover all his feet due to the holes in them.

He walks for a few more minutes before he forces himself to sit down on a bench. He puts his bags down next to him and lets out a deep breath and buries his head in his hands. He's cold, run down, and just wants to get back home. He raises his head from his hands and checks his watch - 15:03. If he starts walking now he can get to the bus stop to catch the bus and won't have to walk four miles back to his flat. He has five pounds left for the week and it's only Monday - his next payment won't be for a week. But he's willing not to eat in college in deal to get the bus and have a rest from walking. He gets up, grabs his bags, and starts walking. He walks for a few blocks before he can hear music. And as he continues to walk in the direction of the bus stop, the music gets louder and he can hear singing to the tune of what Remus now recognizes to be a guitar. The voice is clearly a male's. A young male's. It's raw and edgy. But it's one of the nicest voices Remus has every heard. As he turns a corner he walks past a small coffee shop, and on the opposite street, stood outside Waterstones, is a teenager.

The teenager is the source of the singing and guitar playing. He's beautiful, Remus thinks. He's got shoulder length, wavy dark hair and Remus can tell from where he's stood that he's smaller than himself. Remus lets himself stand on the other side of the street and admire the teenager. He seems so passionate about his music; the way he moves whilst singing and his hands moving on the guitar and the strings. People walk past and drop their spare change in the hat that sits in front of his feet. When the song is over, Remus walks over to him.

Up close, Remus sees that he was right about the height difference. He can also see the colour of the teenager's eyes. Grey - but even though it's such a simple color, it's the first time Remus has seen it in someone's eyes. They're little flecks of lighter grey in his eyes and it makes Remus think of stars.

"Hi, I'm Sirius."

Remus smiles and puts his bags on the floor before taking Sirius' extended hand and shakes it. "Remus."

"Like Remus and Romulus?"

Remus chuckles, "Exactly like Remus and Romulus."

Sirius nods his head, "It's original. I like it."

"I could say the same about you, Mr dog constellation."

Sirius smiles, and Remus is almost knocked for six. Sirius' smile is all big and toothy, showing all his white, perfectly straight teeth that Remus won't even achieve after his braces are taken off.

"Your voice.. it was beautiful."

Sirius laughs, "Thank you. I would return the compliment but I don't know any of your talents."

Remus' cheeks turn scarlet and he wonders how someone can be so smooth. Remus couldn't compliment anyone that great even if he was paid. Compliments, or smooth compliments rather, are not in his abilities. He looks down to hide his blush and realizes his and Sirius' hands are still clasped together. He takes his hand away and immediately misses the warmth.

"I'm not really one who has many talents, but thank you,"

"Everyone has a talent, I just wish that people would appreciate them a bit more, you know?"

Remus looks up and raises an eyebrow. "I don't think I do? Sorry. But, maybe you can explain?"

Sirius instantly looks shy about it and Remus goes to say that it doesn't matter, that he's sorry because it seems like a sensitive topic and it's really not his business at all, but Sirius speaks before Remus can. "I'm homeless, so the money that people give me because they appreciate my singing and guitar playing goes towards my food, or new clothes, because as you can tell, I'm in need of them." He uses his hands to gesture to his body.

Remus looks at Sirius' clothing and realizes that his clothing are in just as bad condition as his own. Remus is reaching for his wallet before he can even think about anything else.

"Here," He hands Sirius all of his change - his last five pounds, without hesitation. "I'm sorry it's all such little change, but I know that you can get yourself a new jacket in a charity shop and maybe even a bit of food as well if there's change."

Sirius closes his hands around the coins and takes Remus into his arms. "Thank you so much." He's mumbling into Remus' shoulder.

Remus smiles and pats Sirius on his back. "It's not a problem."

So what if Remus has to walk for four miles because he no longer has money for the bus? Thanks to him, Sirius will be able to get himself a jacket. To keep warm and hopefully get a hot meal down him. And knowing that keeps Remus warm whilst he starts his four miles walk -now in the rain- back to his rundown flat.


End file.
